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J.T. Cunningham Music Company
and Appliance Store
By
Margaret Cunningham Williamson
1935 Hollis, Harmon County, Oklahoma...........
I am quoting my Mother, Lucy Cunningham, who taught piano lessons for years in Hollis. I did an interview with her when she was visiting me during the 1980's. "We moved to Hollis in 1933 to open a store. These stores were all known as Music Stores, because they did sell musical instruments of all kinds including pianos, horns, guitars, ukuleles, banjos, records, sheet music, radios, victrolas (forerunner of record players), etc. The J.T. Cunningham Music Store soon became an appliance store, also, as refrigerators began to replace the ice box, gas and electric stoves began to replace wood and coal ranges, and wringer type washing machines replaced the scrub boards."
Now, I would like to quote Mickie Hicks who sent me an e-mail via the Hollis Loop. In it she said, "When I was in the 7th Grade, all you had to be to join the Hollis High School Marching Band was a warm body. I didn't play a musical instrument, but all my friends were joining the band. So, I went into the J.T. Cunningham Music Store and looked longingly at musical instruments. Your Dad must have made a promise to furnish warm bodies, because he sold me a clarinet "on time". No papers to sign and terms very reasonable. He treated me like a grown person." Charlene Knight Prock also wrote in the Hollis Loop that she bought a baton for $8 at $.50 payments, as she could pay for it.
It was so typical of my Dad, as he had a heart for all, and these were times of Depression Days. I can remember the little table top radios selling for $10 to $12 that he sold in the same manner. He wanted all to have access to what was going on in the world. The 2 employees that worked for many years for Dad in the store were Frank Luce and Zana McFall.
MARGARET
The Photo is probably a promotion for Maytag Washers
On left: Jesse T. Cunningham and daughter, Margaret (about 12)
On right: Lucy Fenn Cunningham and daughter, Mary (about 10
In center: customers possibly shopping for a washer.
1)
Photo courtesy of MARGARET |
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